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1701729

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report by Lay Observers entitled 2022-23 Annual Report, published on 10 April 2024, and the response from the Minister of State published on the same date, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the report's recommendations on ensuring that children and young people are (a) always transported in vehicles without adult detained persons and (b) looked after and managed by suitably trained staff.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Janet Daby
uin	22385
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>We are very grateful to the Lay Observers for their invaluable work. We have thoroughly considered their annual report and its recommendations.</p><p>Timeliness is a key consideration when conveying children and young people to and from court and, in certain circumstances, transport in vehicles with adults may be the appropriate solution. In these cases, the children and young people would be collected and supervised by staff who normally work with adults. This is provided for in the contracts, and our focus is on ensuring that the service provided for in the contracts is delivered.</p><p>On all occasions when children and young people are transported with adults, the cellular accommodation in the vehicle must be separated by a screen to ensure that the children and young people are kept apart.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 22/04/2024 12:49:19 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby

1701808

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to manage prison population levels.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	22365
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>We continue to focus on the prison capacity challenge.</p><p>To meet rising demand, we are building c.20,000 modern, rehabilitative prison places – the biggest prison build programme since the Victorian era. We have already delivered c.5,900 of these, including through our two new 1,700 places prisons, HMP Five Wells and HMP Fosse Way, and c.590 Rapid Deployment Cells across 11 sites. By the end of 2025, we are on track to have delivered around 10,000 places in total.</p><p>On 11 March, I announced the next steps in our plan, to allow us to go further and faster in removing FNOs. This includes expediting prisoner transfers with our priority partners such as Albania and the creation of a new taskforce across the HO and MoJ to change the way we process FNO cases radically.</p><p>We have also put in place short-term measures across the prison estate to expand useable capacity, while ensuring our prisons remain safe for staff and offenders.</p><p>The Government will continue to monitor the evolving situation with demand for prison places carefully, so that we can make sure we have the right approaches in place to maintain the capacity required for a safe and effective criminal justice system.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 25/04/2024 11:24:47 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1701810

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Education and Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) educational and (b) vocational training opportunities are not reduced in prisons; and whether he plans to use those training opportunities to help reduce prison overcrowding.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	22366
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>Education is key for reducing reoffending and research indicates that prison education reduces reoffending by 9 percentage points. In September 2023, we set out our plans to deliver an improved Prison Education Service that will support more prisoners to improve their literacy and numeracy and increase the number of prison leavers employed on release.</p><p>Over the past 12 months we have seen a sustained delivery in the number vocational courses undertaken by prisoners following increases to 95,000. To ensure the right education and vocational training opportunities are available across prisons we have:</p><ul><li>Introduced new Head of Education Skills and Work roles in every prison to provide tailored education plans to meet the needs of their jail.</li><li>Enabled the first ever prisoner apprenticeships in catering and construction through ground-breaking partnerships with Greene King, Kier and Clipper, with talks underway to open up apprenticeships in other industries.</li><li>Recruited Neurodiversity Support Managers in every prison to support offenders with neurodivergent needs in accessing education, skills and work opportunities within the prison.</li><li>Launched a Future Skills programme to train up over 2,000 offenders over the next two years in vital industries such as scaffolding and electrics, before linking them up with employers in the local community and guaranteeing interviews on release.</li><li>We are investing £16 million to test new ways of increasing workshop activity to get prisoners work-ready and improve labour supply.</li><li>£1.8 million in the Literacy Innovation Fund which is delivering pilots in 15 prisons targeting those with low literacy levels.</li></ul><p>I am pleased to say that we have seen positive outcomes in employment in support of our work to make best use of prison capacity. The proportion of prison leavers in employment six months after release has more than doubled in the two years to March 2023, from 14% to over 30%and between 2011/12 and 2021/22, the overall proven reoffending rate has decreased from 31.3% to 25.2%.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 25/04/2024 11:25:49 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1701872

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Young Offender Institutions: Prison Accommodation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average number of hours spent out of their cell by inmates was on (a) weekdays and (b) weekend days in each young offender institution in February 2024.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Janet Daby
uin	22386
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The information requested regarding average time-out-of-room spent by children and young people in young offender institutions during February 2024 is shown in the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Cookham Wood </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Feltham </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Parc </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Werrington </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Wetherby </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weekdays </strong></p></td><td><p>3:24</p></td><td><p>5:02</p></td><td><p>8:30</p></td><td><p>4:06</p></td><td><p>6:25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weekends </strong></p></td><td><p>2:01</p></td><td><p>3:49</p></td><td><p>5:47</p></td><td><p>3:10</p></td><td><p>4:33</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The average time spent out-of-room each day by children and young people at Oakhill Secure Training Centre in February 2024 was 13 hours. As information about Oakhill Secure Training Centre is collated on a different basis from information about young offender institutions, it is not possible to provide the requested breakdown between weekdays and weekends.</p><p>We know the importance of ensuring that time in custody is purposeful and are committed to ensuring that children and young people have the necessary and appropriate access to education, skills, and work provision with a consistent daily programme of activities.</p><p>The Youth Custody Service is reviewing regime models and staff deployment to maximise time out of room, creating as open a regime as it is safe to do so, as well as providing education and enrichment for those who cannot safely be in a classroom setting.  Additionally, work done to reduce conflict and manage behaviour, to increase the size of groups who are mixing in the regime, has increased time out of room.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 22387 question first answered 22/04/2024 12:52:02 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby

1701873

registered interest
date	17/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Oakhill Secure Training Centre
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average number of hours spent out of their cell by inmates was on (a) weekdays and (b) weekend days in Oakhill Secure Training Centre in February 2024.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham East
tabling member printed	Janet Daby
uin	22387
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The information requested regarding average time-out-of-room spent by children and young people in young offender institutions during February 2024 is shown in the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Cookham Wood </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Feltham </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Parc </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Werrington </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Wetherby </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weekdays </strong></p></td><td><p>3:24</p></td><td><p>5:02</p></td><td><p>8:30</p></td><td><p>4:06</p></td><td><p>6:25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Weekends </strong></p></td><td><p>2:01</p></td><td><p>3:49</p></td><td><p>5:47</p></td><td><p>3:10</p></td><td><p>4:33</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The average time spent out-of-room each day by children and young people at Oakhill Secure Training Centre in February 2024 was 13 hours. As information about Oakhill Secure Training Centre is collated on a different basis from information about young offender institutions, it is not possible to provide the requested breakdown between weekdays and weekends.</p><p>We know the importance of ensuring that time in custody is purposeful and are committed to ensuring that children and young people have the necessary and appropriate access to education, skills, and work provision with a consistent daily programme of activities.</p><p>The Youth Custody Service is reviewing regime models and staff deployment to maximise time out of room, creating as open a regime as it is safe to do so, as well as providing education and enrichment for those who cannot safely be in a classroom setting.  Additionally, work done to reduce conflict and manage behaviour, to increase the size of groups who are mixing in the regime, has increased time out of room.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 22386 question first answered 22/04/2024 12:52:02 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby

1701309

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish a complete list of prisons in England and Wales in which the 18-day prisoner early release scheme has (a) applied and (b) continues to apply.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	21908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) is a temporary measure and is used in a targeted way where its use is only where it is absolutely necessary. For this reason, the list of prisons varies according to need.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 21909 question first answered 23/04/2024 13:17:28 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1701310

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons will be included in the extension of the end of custody supervised licence measure from 35 to 60-days.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	21909
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) is a temporary measure and is used in a targeted way where its use is only where it is absolutely necessary. For this reason, the list of prisons varies according to need.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 21908 question first answered 23/04/2024 13:17:28 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1701311

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department has published on when a person with an end of custody supervised licence should be recalled to prison.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	21910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>Public protection is our priority. Offenders released early on ECSL are subject to a standard supervision licence which is designed to enable the Probation Service to manage the risk that offenders may pose on release from prison and to safeguard public protection. The recall process is the same for those released on ECSL and other standard releases.</p><p> </p><p>The decision to recall an offender on licensed supervision is taken on the professional advice of senior probation staff following consideration of safe alternatives to recall. Where offenders are recalled, it is because they present a risk of serious harm to the public and the controls available are no longer sufficient to keep the public safe. These individuals will remain in prison for only as long as necessary to protect the public. Guidance on the recall of offenders to prison is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recall-review-and-re-release-of-recalled-prisoners." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recall-review-and-re-release-of-recalled-prisoners.</a></p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 23/04/2024 13:20:37 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1701328

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Probation: Resignations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trainee probation officers have resigned from the service within (a) one week, (b) one month and (c) three months of starting their role as a trainee probation officer.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	22021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>The recruitment team has worked extensively to improve candidate experience by broadening the information and communication channels available to potential applicants, to help reduce attrition. This includes interactive webinars for successful candidates to ensure new trainees are starting the role with a clear understanding of their responsibilities, the organisation, and the trainee programme. We have also reviewed the trainee learning and development curriculum to improve learner experience and have launched a refreshed induction in March 2024.</p><p>For the period from 16 October 2016 to 31 December 2023, there have generally been two cohorts of Trainee Probation Officers who started training each year. Out of the people undertaking this training:</p><ul><li><p>10 individuals resigned in the period up to one week after the start date of their PQiP training course.</p></li><li><p>23 resigned in the period of over a week but up to and including one month after the start date of their PQiP training course.</p></li><li><p>57 resigned in the period of over one month up to and including three months after the start date of their PQiP training course.</p></li></ul><p>For the two cohorts across 22/23 there were 1,514 starters, for the two cohorts across 21/22 there were 1,518 starters and for the two cohorts across 20/21 there were 1,007 starters. We are unable to provide data on 23/24 at the current time as this would pre-empt the next set of published data, which will be released on Thursday 16 May 2024.</p><p><br>Notes:</p><p>1. Includes staff on Trainee Probation Officer (PQiP) courses. A considerable majority of these individuals are of the Probation Services Officer grade.</p><p>2. Resignation date taken as the last day of service. Date that resignation handed in is not available.</p><p>3. Staff who left for other reasons are not included.</p><p>5. In order to arrive at this information there had to be some data matching from a trainee probation officer staff list to staff who left to separate out trainees from substantive Probation Services Officers. In instances where data from the staff list was incomplete with data such as relevant staff ID then matching may not have been possible.</p><p>6. Data on the number of starters each financial year can be found in the March edition of the Probation Officer Recruitment Annex (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6464f746d3231e001332db9d/annex-probation-officer-recruitment-March-2023_final.ods).</p><p>7. It should be noted that a considerable number of trainees withdraw from PQiP training but remain in HMPPS. For information on withdrawal and leaving rates from PQiP training, please see Table Three of Probation Officer Recruitment Annex.</p><p>8. In January 2023, a considerable number of PQiPs onboarded early to the Probation Service. For the purposes of this response, we have looked at the time of resignation following the time at which they started their PQiP training course. If any of these individuals left the service before starting their PQiP training course, they have been excluded from this analysis.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 22/04/2024 12:51:35 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury

1701329

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Probation Service: Vacancies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many vacancies in the probation service there are as of 16 April 2024, by region.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	22022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/04/2024 answer text <p>I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on Wednesday 20 March to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-03-13/18474" target="_blank">18474</a>. Data was provided on the average number of vacancies for the month of December 2023, in line with our latest published workforce statistics (which present data up to 31 December 2023).</p><p>We are unable to provide a more up-to-date number of vacancies at the current time (for periods following December 2023) as this would pre-empt the next set of published data, which will be released on Thursday 16 May 2024. Once updated staffing data have been published in May, including data up to 31 March 2024, we will then be able to respond to questions for vacancy data up to and including March 2024.</p><p>Recruitment and retention remain a priority across the Probation Service and we have injected extra funding of more than £155 million a year since 2021 to deliver more robust supervision, recruit more staff and reduce caseloads to keep the public safer.</p><p>We have recruited a record 4,039 trainee Probation Officers between 2020/21 and 2022/23 and we expect these intakes to qualify by the end of 2024 and begin to take on Probation Officer caseloads.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 22/04/2024 12:53:09 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury